Asia Audiobooks | History

Embers of War: The Fall of an Empire and the Making of America's Vietnam

"WINNER OF THE PULITZER PRIZE Written with the style of a great novelist and the intrigue of a Cold War thriller, Embers of War is a landmark work that will forever change your understanding of how and why America went to war in Vietnam. Tapping newly accessible diplomatic archives in several nations, Fredrik Logevall traces the path that led two Western nations to tragically lose their way in the jungles of Southeast Asia. He brings to life the bloodiest battles of France's final years in Indochina-and shows how, from an early point, a succession of American leaders made disastrous policy choices that put America on its own collision course with history. An epic story of wasted opportunities and deadly miscalculations, Embers of War delves deep into the historical record to provide hard answers to the unanswered questions surrounding the demise of one Western power in Vietnam and the arrival of another. Eye-opening and compulsively readable, Embers of War is a gripping, heralded work that illuminates the hidden history of the French and American experiences in Vietnam. ONE OF THE MOST ACCLAIMED WORKS OF HISTORY IN RECENT YEARS Winner of the Francis Parkman Prize from the Society of American Historians • Winner of the American Library in Paris Book Award • Winner of the Council on Foreign Relations Arthur Ross Book Award • Finalist for the Cundill Prize in Historical Literature NAMED ONE OF THE BEST BOOKS OF THE YEAR BY The Washington Post • The Christian Science Monitor • The Globe and Mail "A balanced, deeply researched history of how, as French colonial rule faltered, a succession of American leaders moved step by step down a road toward full-blown war."-Pulitzer Prize citation "This extraordinary work of modern history combines powerful narrative thrust, deep scholarly authority, and quiet interpretive confidence."-Francis Parkman Prize citation "A monumental history . . . a widely researched and eloquently written account of how the U.S. came to be involved in Vietnam . . . certainly the most comprehensive review of this period to date."-The Wall Street Journal "Superb . . . a product of formidable international research."-The Washington Post "Lucid and vivid . . . [a] definitive history."-San Francisco Chronicle "An essential work for those seeking to understand the worst foreign-policy adventure in American history . . . Even though readers know how the story ends-as with The Iliad-they will be as riveted by the tale as if they were hearing it for the first time."-The Christian Science Monitor"

Fredrik Logevall (Author), Fred Sanders (Narrator)

Audiobook

Japan Story: In Search of a Nation, 1850 to the Present

"Penguin presents the audiobook edition of Japan Story written and read by Christopher Harding. This is a fresh and surprising account of Japan's culture from the 'opening up' of the country in the mid-nineteenth century to the present. It is told through the eyes of people who greeted this change not with the confidence and grasping ambition of Japan's modernizers and nationalists, but with resistance, conflict, distress. We encounter writers of dramas, ghost stories and crime novels where modernity itself is the tragedy, the ghoul and the bad guy; surrealist and avant-garde artists sketching their escape; rebel kamikaze pilots and the put-upon urban poor; hypnotists and gangsters; men in desperate search of the eternal feminine and feminists in search of something more than state-sanctioned subservience; Buddhists without morals; Marxist terror groups; couches full to bursting with the psychological fall-out of breakneck modernization. These people all sprang from the soil of modern Japan, but their personalities and projects failed to fit. They were 'dark blossoms': both East-West hybrids and home-grown varieties that wreathed, probed and sometimes penetrated the new structures of mainstream Japan. 'How much I admired it, what a lot I learned from it and, above all, how very much I enjoyed it ... Masterly.' Neil MacGregor"

Christopher Harding (Author), Christopher Harding (Narrator)

Audiobook

A History of Japan: Revised Edition

"A classic of Japanese history, this book is the preeminent work on the history of Japan. Newly revised and updated, A History of Japan is a single-volume, complete history of the nation of Japan. Starting in ancient Japan during its early pre-history period A History of Japan covers every important aspect of history and culture through feudal Japan to the post-cold War period and collapse of the Bubble Economy in the early 1990s. Recent findings shed additional light on the origins of Japanese civilization and the birth of Japanese culture. Also included is an in-depth analysis of the Japanese religion, Japanese arts, Japanese culture and the Japanese people from the 6th century B.C.E. to the present. This contemporary classic, now updated and revised, continues to be an essential work in Japanese studies. A History of Japan, Revised Edition includes: Archaic Japan—including Yamato, the creation of a unified state, the Nana Period, and the Heian period. Medieval Japan—including rule by the military houses, the failure of Ashikaga Rule, Buddhism, and the Kamakura and Muroachi Periods. Early Modern Japan—including Japanese feudalism, administration under the Tokugawa, and society and culture in early modern Japan. Modern Japan—including the Meiji Era and policies for modernization, from consensus to crisis (1912–1937), and solutions through force. This contemporary classic continues to be a central book in Japanese studies and is a vital addition to the collection of any student or enthusiast of Japanese history, Japanese culture, or the Japanese language."

J. G. Caiger, R. H. P. Mason (Author), Derek Perkins (Narrator)

Audiobook

Red Flags: Why Xi’s China Is in Jeopardy

"Will China rule the world or will its dream turn into a nightmare? George Magnus, the trusted economic commentator on China, provides a penetrating account of the threats to China’s continued rise. Over the past four decades, China’s remarkable transformation has garnered admiration but also sparked concern. Magnus draws on his intimate knowledge of this dynamic nation to uncover the origins of its ascent and show why the economic traps it faces at home, and the political challenges it faces abroad, pose a serious threat to its continued rise. President Xi, possibly now leader for life, is determined to realize the Chinese Dream of rejuvenating the nation and consigning to history the “century of humiliation.” But Magnus warns that the Middle Kingdom’s future rests on the willingness of its leader to embrace reform and open up, a philosophy that is at odds with his actions to date. Engagingly weaving together economics, politics, and history, Red Flags is an authoritative and lucid account of the troubled times that lie ahead for a nation whose economic fortunes are closely intertwined with our own."

George Magnus (Author), Derek Perkins (Narrator)

Audiobook

Vietnam: An Epic History of a Divisive War 1945-1975

"THE SUNDAY TIMES BESTSELLER ‘His masterpiece’ Antony Beevor, Spectator ‘A masterful performance’ Sunday Times ‘By far the best book on the Vietnam War’ Gerald Degroot, The Times, Book of the Year Vietnam became the Western world’s most divisive modern conflict, precipitating a battlefield humiliation for France in 1954, then a vastly greater one for the United States in 1975. Max Hastings has spent the past three years interviewing scores of participants on both sides, as well as researching a multitude of American and Vietnamese documents and memoirs, to create an epic narrative of an epic struggle. He portrays the set pieces of Dienbienphu, the Tet offensive, the air blitz of North Vietnam, and less familiar battles such as the bloodbath at Daido, where a US Marine battalion was almost wiped out, together with extraordinary recollections of Ho Chi Minh’s warriors. Here are the vivid realities of strife amid jungle and paddies that killed 2 million people. Many writers treat the war as a US tragedy, yet Hastings sees it as overwhelmingly that of the Vietnamese people, of whom forty died for every American. US blunders and atrocities were matched by those committed by their enemies. While all the world has seen the image of a screaming, naked girl seared by napalm, it forgets countless eviscerations, beheadings and murders carried out by the communists. The people of both former Vietnams paid a bitter price for the Northerners’ victory in privation and oppression. Here is testimony from Vietcong guerrillas, Southern paratroopers, Saigon bargirls and Hanoi students alongside that of infantrymen from South Dakota, Marines from North Carolina, Huey pilots from Arkansas. No past volume has blended a political and military narrative of the entire conflict with heart-stopping personal experiences, in the fashion that Max Hastings’ readers know so well. The author suggests that neither side deserved to win this struggle with so many lessons for the 21st century about the misuse of military might to confront intractable political and cultural challenges. He marshals testimony from warlords and peasants, statesmen and soldiers, to create an extraordinary record."

Max Hastings (Author), Peter Noble (Narrator)

Audiobook

Dereliction of Duty: Johnson, McNamara, the Joint Chiefs of Staff, and the Lies That Led to Vietnam

"''The war in Vietnam was not lost in the field, nor was it lost on the front pages of the New York Times or the college campuses. It was lost in Washington, D.C.'' —H. R. McMaster (from the Conclusion) Dereliction Of Duty is a stunning analysis of how and why the United States became involved in an all-out and disastrous war in Southeast Asia. Fully and convincingly researched, based on transcripts and personal accounts of crucial meetings, confrontations and decisions, it is the only book that fully re-creates what happened and why. McMaster pinpoints the policies and decisions that got the United States into the morass and reveals who made these decisions and the motives behind them, disproving the published theories of other historians and excuses of the participants. A page-turning narrative, Dereliction Of Duty focuses on a fascinating cast of characters: President Lyndon Johnson, Robert McNamara, General Maxwell Taylor, McGeorge Bundy and other top aides who deliberately deceived the Joint Chiefs of Staff, the U.S. Congress and the American public. McMaster’s only book, Dereliction of Duty is an explosive and authoritative new look at the controversy concerning the United States involvement in Vietnam."

H.R. Mcmaster (Author), H.R. Mcmaster (Narrator)

Audiobook

Korea: The Impossible Country: South Korea's Amazing Rise from the Ashes: The Inside Story of an Eco

"South Korea's amazing rise from the ashes: the inside story of an economic, political, and cultural phenomenon Long overshadowed by Japan and China, South Korea is a small country that happens to be one of the great national success stories of the postwar period. From a failed state with no democratic tradition, ruined and partitioned by war, and sapped by a half-century of colonial rule, South Korea transformed itself in just fifty years into an economic powerhouse and a democracy that serves as a model for other countries. With no natural resources and a tradition of authoritarian rule, Korea managed to accomplish a second Asian miracle. Daniel Tudor is a journalist who has lived in and written about Korea for almost a decade. In Korea: The Impossible Country, Tudor examines Korea's cultural foundations; the Korean character; the public sphere in politics, business, and the workplace as well as the family, dating, and marriage. In doing so, he touches on topics as diverse as shamanism, clan-ism, the dilemma posed by North Korea, the myths about doing business in Korea, the Koreans' renowned hard-partying ethos, and why the infatuation with learning English is now causing massive social problems. South Korea has undergone two miracles at once: economic development and complete democratization. The question now is, will it become as some see Japan, a prosperous yet aging society, devoid of energy and momentum? Or will the dynamism of Korean society and its willingness to change—as well as the opportunity it has now to welcome outsiders into its fold—enable it to experience a third miracle that will propel it into the ranks of the world's leading nations regarding human culture, democracy, and wealth?"

Daniel Tudor (Author), James Cameron Stewart (Narrator)

Audiobook

The Tale of Genji

"Japanese noblewoman Murasaki Shikibu wrote The Tale of Genji in the 11th century to entertain the other women in the court. It follows the romantic exploits of the title character, an emperor’s son, as he navigates life within aristocratic society and eventually outside of it. Praised for its psychological insight into the characters’ motivations, the book greatly influenced Japanese culture and is widely considered the world’s first novel. In 1882, Suematsu Kencho translated a condensed version of the text into English, allowing this classic tale to reach a wider audience."

Murasaki Shikibu, Suematsu Kencho (Author), Elaine J Sepani (Narrator)

Audiobook

Empress: The Astonishing Reign of Nur Jahan

"In 1611, thirty-four-year-old Nur Jahan, daughter of a Persian noble and widow of a subversive official, became the twentieth and favorite wife of the Emperor Jahangir, who ruled the vast Mughal Empire. An astute politician as well as a devoted partner, she issued imperial orders; coins of the realm bore her name. When Jahangir was imprisoned by a rebellious nobleman, the Empress led troops into battle and ultimately rescued him. The only woman to acquire the stature of empress in her male-dominated world, Nur was also a talented dress designer and innovative architect whose work inspired her stepson's Taj Mahal. Nur's confident assertion of talent and power is revelatory; it far exceeded the authority of her female contemporaries in Renaissance Europe, including Elizabeth I. Here, she finally receives her due in a deeply researched and evocative biography that awakens us to a fascinating history."

Ruby Lal (Author), Suzanne Toren (Narrator)

Audiobook

Korean Mythology: A Concise Guide to the Gods, Heroes, Sagas, Rituals and Beliefs of Korean Myths

"This book is dedicated to exploring the gods and goddesses that the Koreans of old worshiped, and within it, you will find more information about: - Strange creatures from Korean mythology - The Korean mythology of Tangu and Ahri - Gods and goddesses, and their background stories, from Korean mythology - Supernatural powers, relationships, and dramatic legends - Persisting values from Korean mythology that are present today Korean mythology is intricate, complex, and the ideals behind some of their mythological beliefs were often intertwined with real-life events. This book will examine how both myth and fact contributed to the culture and traditions of the Koreans, and how these influences and some stories continue to live on throughout the centuries. "

Bernard Hayes (Author), Gareth Johnson (Narrator)

Audiobook

Incredible Victory: The Battle of Midway

"New York Times Bestseller: Outgunned and outmanned on the Pacific Ocean, a small American fleet defied the odds and turned the tide of World War II. On the morning of June 4, 1942, doom sailed on Midway. Hoping to put itself within striking distance of Hawaii and California, the Japanese navy planned an ambush that would obliterate the remnants of the American Pacific fleet. On paper, the Americans had no chance of winning. They had fewer ships, slower fighters, and almost no battle experience. But because their codebreakers knew what was coming, the American navy was able to prepare an ambush of its own. Over two days of savage battle, American sailors and pilots broke the spine of the Japanese war machine. The United States prevailed against momentous odds; never again did Japan advance. In stunning detail, Walter Lord, the #1 New York Times bestselling author of Day of Infamy and A Night to Remember, tells the story of one of the greatest upsets in naval history."

Walter Lord (Author), Norman Dietz (Narrator)

Audiobook

Japanese Mythology: A Concise Guide to the Gods, Heroes, Sagas, Rituals and Beliefs of Japanese Myth

"This book is dedicated to exploring the gods and goddesses that the Japanese worshiped, and within the pages you will find subtopics like: - Ancient, exciting stories and mysterious myths and intriguing legends from Japan - Gods and goddesses that were common in Japan thousands of years ago - Historical anecdotes and fun, related background facts - The intense meaning and purpose of swords in Japanese culture - The controversial legend of Issun Boshi - Real folklore monuments and locations you can visit that date back to times of mythological beliefs Japanese mythology is intricate and complex, and the ideals behind their mythological beliefs were often intertwined with real-life events. This book will examine how both myth and fact contributed to the culture and traditions of the Japanese, and how these influences and stories continue to live on throughout the centuries. "

Bernard Hayes (Author), Gareth Johnson (Narrator)

Audiobook

Asia Audiobooks in History